‘It wasn’t a hypothetical’: Rotrand on deal he says was offered by Copeman
Elections Quebec probing allegation ombudsman position was on the table
Elections Quebec is recommending an investigation into an allegation that Russell Copeman, the former borough mayor of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, offered city councillor Marvin Rotrand the position of city ombudsman in return for not running in November’s election.
On Jan. 22, Rotrand, the veteran councillor for Snowdon district, told city council that Copeman, a member of Montreal mayor Denis Coderre’s executive committee, had offered him the ombudsman job in return for not running as a candidate.
Rotrand told reporters at that time that Copeman made the offer in early July 2017.
“It wasn’t a hypothetical proposition: He said if they were reelected, they would name me,” Rotrand said.
The ombudsman’s base salary is $157,983.
“I feel really uncomfortable about trying to move me out as a candidate against some sort of offer for some sort of position. Now, I’m not sure it’s unethical or illegal or anything like that, but it’s really troubled me ever since,” he said at that time.
On Tuesday, two residents of the west-end borough made public a letter from Quebec’s director general of elections (DGE) in response to a complaint they made on March 13 about Rotrand’s allegation.
In the letter made public by Alexander Montagano and Neal Mukherjee of the C.D.N.-N.D.G. Research Group, a local citizens’ group, director of legal affairs Corinne Fournier said the DGE “had already been informed of this situation, which was brought to our attention on 23 January.”
She wrote that a file has been opened and “an investigation will be recommended with regard to the application of the provisions of the Elections and Referendums and Municipalities Act.”
She added that it’s possible the investigator in charge of the matter would contact the complainants.
Montagano and Mukherjee also wrote to Quebec’s anti-corruption squad, UPAC, about the allegation on March 13.
In a statement on Wednesday, Copeman acknowledged that he chatted with Rotrand about career options after Rotrand was removed as vice-chair of the board of directors of the Société de Transports de Montréal in June 2017 and was reflecting on whether to run again.
“At that time we discussed some options, including the possibility of the ombudsman position.
“But let me be clear about the following: Over the course of an 18year career in public life, I have always governed myself by the highest ethical standards. I categorically reject any accusation of corruption or corrupt intent surrounding these allegations. Any suggestion of a quid pro quo proposal is totally false,” Copeman stated.
Since the choice of an ombudsman must be approved by city council with at least a two-thirds majority, “I was clearly not in a position to make an offer of employment to Mr. Rotrand,” he added.
Copeman said he has “not been contacted by any public authority regarding this matter.”
In an interview Thursday, Rotrand said that he had not been contacted by investigators.